2023 Salary Report for Social Workers in Wisconsin

Salary Report for Wisconsin Social Workers

Wisconsin Rankings

Compare Wisconsin to U.S.

Wisconsin Social Workers earn an average of $48,910 which is 10% less than the national average salary of $54,880.

Type	Wisconsin	U.S.	% Difference
Average Hourly Wage	$23.51	$26.39	-10.91%
Average Annual Salary	$48,910	$54,880	-10.88%

Salary Range by Education and Experience

In Wisconsin, 50% of Social Workers earn between $38,170 and $60,040 a year, depending on factors such as level of education, experience, location and place of employment.

About 10% of Social Workers earn more than $64,990, a rate generally associated with highly educated and experienced Social Workers.

Approximately 10% of Social Workers earn under $30,730, a rate generally reserved for less experienced or entry level Social Workers.

Percent	Experience	Employed	Annual Salary
10%	Less than a Year	531	Under $30,730
15%	2 – 4 years	796	$30,730 – $38,170
25%	5 – 9 years	1,328	$38,170 – $47,440
25%	10 – 14 years	1,328	$47,440 – $60,040
15%	15 – 20 years	796	$47,440 – $64,990
10%	20+ years	531	Above $64,990

Adjusted for Cost-of-Living

After being adjusted for cost-of-living, Social Workers in Wisconsin psychologists earn about $52,484 per year which is less than the average U.S. psychologist of $54,880.

Cost-of-living in Wisconsin is 7% less than the national average, which means Wisconsin residents have an overall less cost for food, housing, utilities and transportation compared to other states.

More cost-of-living reports for U.S. States.

Salary Compared to Related Professions

With an average annual salary of $48,910, Wisconsin Social Workers tend to earn less than Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($86,750), Forensic Psychologists ($86,000), Psychology Teachers ($81,270), School Psychologists ($73,520), Marriage and Family Therapists ($60,190), Health Care Social Workers ($59,000), and Substance Abuse Counselors ($52,010).

Title	Annual Salary
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists	$86,750
Forensic Psychologists	$86,000
Psychology Teachers	$81,270
School Psychologists	$73,520
Marriage and Family Therapists	$60,190
Health Care Social Workers	$59,000
Substance Abuse Counselors	$52,010
Social Workers	$48,910

Projected Demand for Psychologists in 2030

The U.S. Department of Labor projects that in Wisconsin the three professions needing the most new psychologists by 2030 are Substance Abuse Counselors (7,630), Social Workers (4,620) and Health Care Social Workers (4,250).

The three professions in Wisconsin needing highest percentage new psychologists by 2030 are Substance Abuse Counselors (18.5%), Marriage and Family Therapists (12.2%) and Social Workers (11.3%).

Title	2020	2030	Change	Yearly Openings
Substance Abuse Counselors	6,440	7,630	18.5%	770
Social Workers	4,150	4,620	11.3%	450
Health Care Social Workers	3,970	4,250	7.1%	400
Forensic Psychologists	860	890	3.5%	60
Psychology Teachers	720	760	5.6%	70
Marriage and Family Therapists	410	460	12.2%	50

Salaries Ranked by Wisconsin Cities

The average salary for Social Workers in Wisconsin is $48,910. The top cities that pay Social Workers the most are South Central Wisconsin Nonmetropolitan Area ($52,060), Madison ($50,760) and Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis ($50,040).

When adjusted for cost-of-living, the cities that pay Social Workers the highest average annual salary are South Central Wisconsin Nonmetropolitan Area ($58,587), Northwestern Wisconsin Nonmetropolitan Area ($55,458) and Western Wisconsin Nonmetropolitan Area ($55,165).

The following table shows the average yearly salary range for Social Workers in each city, and the average yearly salary after being adjusted for cost-of-living in that state.

The difference column shows how much more or less purchasing power a Social Workers salary will have in that area.

Area	Average Salary	COL Adjusted	Difference
South Central Wisconsin Nonmetropolitan Area	$52,060	$58,587	$6,527
Madison	$50,760	$52,325	$1,565
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis	$50,040	$52,163	$2,123
Northwestern Wisconsin Nonmetropolitan Area	$49,280	$55,458	$6,178
Green Bay	$49,210	$53,670	$4,460
Western Wisconsin Nonmetropolitan Area	$49,020	$55,165	$6,145
Northeastern Wisconsin Nonmetropolitan Area	$48,840	$54,963	$6,123
Fond du Lac	$48,780	$53,282	$4,502
Eau Claire	$48,200	$52,312	$4,112
Racine	$47,700	$51,719	$4,019
Janesville-Beloit	$46,210	$50,032	$3,822
Wausau	$45,300	$50,378	$5,078
Sheboygan	$44,270	$48,451	$4,181
La Crosse-Onalaska	$44,030	$47,197	$3,167
Oshkosh-Neenah	$41,200	$44,846	$3,646
Appleton	$39,980	$43,240	$3,260

Salary FAQ for Wisconsin Social Workers

City and Rural Summaries

Official Data Sources for Social Workers: Salary Data | Projected Employment | Cost of Living Data